Mashaer trains have been approved for operation during this year's Hajj to ensure the rapid movement of pilgrims between Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalifah, according to the Department of Hajj and Transport Affairs.
The use of this advanced railway system led to the reduction of 50,000 buses from the roads between the holy sites. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it did not operate at full capacity.
The trains travel at speeds of up to 120 kilometers per hour, covering the distance between Arafat and Mina in 13 minutes, and between Arafat and Muzdalifah in seven.
On June 16, Saudi Minister of Transport and Logistics Saleh Al-Jasser inspected the stations as part of preparations for the influx of pilgrims.
According to the transport department, each year a total of 20 trains, 300 meters long and with a capacity of 3,500 pilgrims, transport about 70,000 pilgrims per hour and about 420,000 pilgrims over six hours between the holy sites, including the Jamarat Bridge Station.
The railway company hired young citizens for seasonal work during the Hajj to assist pilgrims. It also hired a security company to monitor the boarding of pilgrims onto the Mashair trains.
The security company specializes in crowd management and training and hired Saudi citizens who speak several foreign languages.
The Mashair railway line, opened on November 13, 2010, was built in 22 months.
It initially operated at 35 percent capacity, and then at 100 percent when the driverless system was introduced in 2011.
In October 2018, Saudi Arabia also opened the Al-Haramain high-speed railway, which runs between Mecca and Medina via Jeddah and the King Abdullah Economic City in Rabigh.
The trains cover more than 450 kilometers of track and reach speeds of up to 300 kilometers per hour, making it a fast, convenient and safe way to travel between the holy cities.
Sharing his experience of traveling on the Al-Haramain train, Mohammed Zeyad, a public relations manager in Riyadh, told Arab News: «It was an excellent experience for me, and I would like to repeat it again. It is very clean, safe, fast and saves time. I traveled from Mecca to Medina, which took three hours.».
«The staff working on the train and at the stations are friendly and responsive, demonstrating an excellent sense of hospitality. Tickets can be easily booked online,» he added. «It is a very useful transportation initiative.».